Combined golf spike receptacle and anchoring strip



S p 26, 1967 A. B. M NE lLL 3,343,284

COMBINED GOLF SPIKE REGEPTACLE AND ANCHORING STRIP Filed March 11, 1965 INVENTOR.

ARDEN B. MACNEILL United States Patent 3,343,284 COMBINED GOLF SPIKE RECEPTACLE AND ANCHORING STRIP Arden B. MacNeill, 63 River-view Ave., Waltham, Mass.

Filed Mar. 11, 1965, Ser. No. 438,882 3 Claims. (3666) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Flexural crack resisting anchor strip and golf spike receptacle combination in an inexpensive configuration inserta'ble between layers of a shoe sole for fastening replaceable golf spikes to selected positions on the shoe sole, the combination having a rectangular thin spring metal strip with shallow notches on opposed sides of the strip with a flanged and threaded sleeve type golf spike v This invention relates to devices for fastening golf spikes to the soles of shoes and more particularly to combined golf spike receptacles and receptacle anchoring strips.

To help withstand the heavy use loading conditions of golfers shoes carrying golf spikes in the soles thereof it has been customary to provide golf spike receptacles carried in holes in thin metallic receptacle anchoring plates or strips assembled into the golf shoe soles. The

spacing of the holes in the anchor strips thereby determined the spacing of the receptacles and golf spikes carried therein. However, because of the severe loads and stresses to the anchor strips caused by repetitive flexing with the shoe sole and repetitive shock and other loading from the golf spikes carried therein, the anchor strips often developed undesirable fractures or cracks at the receptacle holes resulting in a loosening of the receptacle so as to prevent or make difficult the replacement of the golf spike. Also the receptacle holes in the anchor strips for same purposes undesirably restricted adjustability of the receptacle for accommodating variations in hole spacing in shoe soles, particularly for spacing changes to accommodate changed sole sizes. Such restricted adjustability of golf spike receptacles on the anchor strips thereby necessitated different anchor strip and receptacle combinations for the different shoe sizes and resulted in an undesirably'large and cumbersome inventory requirement for the shoe manufacturer where anchor strip and receptacle supplier lacked rapid supply capability.

These problems have been overcome in one or more species the present invention of an improved anchor strip and receptacle combination which also incorporates other desirable features and advantages. Among the other features and advantages of the present combined anchor strip and receptacle is the provision of a configuration which lends itself to rapid inexpensive mass production, is relatively simple in construction and is sufiiciently compatible with the former construction to be assembled in shoe soles without changing existing shoe assembly operations. Also, one species of the present anchor strip configuration inherently permits adjustment of spacing between the golf spike receptacles carried thereon for easy accommodation to both small manufacturing variations in spacing of associated holes in shoe soles as well as larger variations in hole spacings to accommodate changes in shoe sole sizes. Such ready accommodation to changes in hole spacings thereby simplifies the shoe assembly operation and materially reduces inventory requirements of both the shoe manufacturer and the golf spike receptacle and anchor strip supplier.

A primary object of the present invention is the provision of a combined golf spike receptacle and receptacle anchoring strip which will not fracture or crack in normal use in a shoe sole even under long repetitive flexing with the shoe sole and long repetitive loading from the retained golf spike.

Another object is the provision of a combined golf spike receptacle and receptacle anchoring strip which in one of its species is adjustable with capacity for accommodating the different golf spike spacings for a wide range of shoe sole sizes.

A further object is the provision of a combined golf spike receptacle and receptacle anchoring strip which lends itself to very inexpensive mass roduction.

A still further object is the provision of a combined golf spike receptacle and receptacle anchoring strip which is compatible with existing golf shoe production operations for assembly in the soles thereof.

And another object is the provision of a combined golf spike receptacle and receptacle anchor strip which succeeds in utilizing substantially all the tools, receptacles and materials heretofore applicable to the conventional receptacle and anchor strip construction.

These and other objects, features and advantages are achieved generally by the provision of an elongated anchor strip of thin flexible met-a1 having two parallel sides, two ends and a top and bottom surfaces, a pair of oppositely disposed notches or indentations in said sides adjacent said ends, a threaded golf spike receptacle in the form of a threaded sleeve having two ends and an axis centrally of the threaded sleeve, one of the sleeve ends flared at substantially right angles to the axis to form a support base for the sleeve, a pair of oppositely disposed ear extensions on the base, the base being positioned on the bottom surface of the anchor strip between tWo of the notches with each of the ears in a corresponding one of the notches and formed to engage the top surface of the anchor strip to thereby hold the receptacle in place between the oppositely disposed notches on the anchor strip.

By making the notches substantially wider than the ears in one special species of the invention, a convenient and inexpensive structure for providing adjustability of spacing between the golf spike receptacles to accommodate a wide range of shoe sole sizes is thereby achieved.

By making the anchor strip of spring temper carbon or stainless steel a very thin strip with increased capability for withstanding repetitive flexing and other stresses is there-by achieved.

These and other features, objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings of preferred embodiments of the invention and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged scale cross sectional view of a portion of a shoe sole with combined golf spike receptacles and receptacle anchor strip in accordance with the present invention and carrying a pair of golf spikes;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged scale side view of a combined golf spike receptacle and receptacle anchor strip;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged scale bottom view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged scale top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged scale top view of an alternative embodiment of a combined golf spike receptacle and receptacle anchor strip.

Referring to the drawings in more detail, a combined golf spike receptacle and receptacle anchor strip in accordance with the present invention is designated generally by the numeral 10. The structure 10 has an elongated thin anchor strip 12 having two parallel sides 14 and 16, two rounded ends 18 and 20, and a top 22 and bottom 24 surfaces. The thickness of the anchor strip 12 is in exaggerated proportion in FIGS. 1 and 2 for convenience in illustration and is preferably in the order of .020 inch thick and of such material as spring tempered carbon steel or stainless steel.

The anchor strip sides 14 and 16 have two pairs of oppositely disposed shallow notches 26, 28 and 30, 32 respectively, each pair being adjacent a respective one of the ends 20 and 18. Sides 34 of the notches 26, 28, 30 and 32 are tapered to facilitate assembly as will be hereinafter further described and preferably have stress concentration reducing radii 36 at the juncture of the sides 34 and bottom of the notches.

A golf spike receptacle 38 having internal threads 40 in a sleeve with two ends 42 and 44 and an axis 46 is placed with its end 44 at the bottom surface 24 between the notches 30 and 32. The end 44 of the receptacle 38 has a flare 48 at substantially right angles to the axis 46 providing a base for the receptacle 38 and engaging the bottom surface 24 of the anchor strip 12. The flare base 48 has oppositely disposed ears 50 and 52 in the notches 30 and 32 respectively and formed or bent over the top surface 22 of the anchor strip 12 to thereby hold the receptacle 38 securely on the anchor strip 12. The receptacle 38 may alternatively be held tightly or slidably in the oppositely disposed notches 30 and 32, depending upon whether the ears 50 and 52 are formed to tightly or loosely engage the top surface 22 of the anchor strip 12.

A second golf spike receptacle 54 (FIG. 1) which may be similar in every detail to the receptacle 38 is similarly fastened to the anchor strip 12 between the notches 26 and 28. This second receptacle 54 is not shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 for more clearly showing construction of the anchor strip 12.

It will be noted that the above described anchor strip 12 is of a relatively simple configuration suitable for inexpensive mass production such as with conventional power presses with suitable punches and dies. Also, the receptacle 38 has a configuration which lends itself to relatively inexpensive mass production on progressive dies in power presses or in eyelet machines. Additionally the combining of the receptacle 38 with the anchor strip 12 involves the single simple operation of bending ears 50 and 52 for creating a sturdy and reliable, inexpensive combined golf spike receptacle and anchor strip structure ready for assembly between an outer sole 56, an intermediate sole 58 and an inner sole 60 to form the sole structure of a shoe; a cross section of which is shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1 it will be noted that the receptacles 38 and 54 fit in holes 53 and 55 respectively provided therefor in the outer sole 56. Where the spacing or distance between the holes 53 and 55 in the outer sole 56 may vary slightly, it may be desirable to provide for the above mentioned sliding fit formation of the ears 50 and 52 on the anchor strip 12 to permit easy alignment and assembly of the receptacles 38 and 54 in the holes 53 and 55. To facilitate such minor adjustability, the notches 26, 28, 30 and 32 are made slightly wider than the cars 50 and 52 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.

However, where different shoe sole sizes are involved, the distances between the holes 53 and 55 is accordingly substantially changed by an amount which may not be accommodated by the width of the notches 30 and 32. For accommodating a wide variety of such sole sizes with their associated variations in spacing between holes 53 and 55, a second embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. is provided. In the FIG. 5 embodiment an anchor plate or strip 57 is provided which may in all respects be the same as the above mentioned anchor strip 12 except 4 in that it carries oppositely disposed indentations or notches 59, 61, 63 and 65 which are wider than the notches 26, 28, 30 and 32, by an amount such that the ears 50 and 52 may be moved longitudinally of the strip a sufficient distance to accommodate the desired size of sole 56.

In the operation of the present invention, threaded stems 62 and 64 of golf spikes 66 and 68 respectively are tightly screwed into the threaded receptacles 38 and 54 respectively of the combined receptacle and anchor strip as shown in FIG. 1. Thereby, the golf spikes 66 and 68 are held rigidly in place on the sole 56 and properly spaced from each other and immovable even under heavy load use conditions and the anchor strip 12 or 57 will withstand repetitive flexing with the sole 58 without cracking or shifting in position and having capacity at all times for unscrewing and replacement of a worn golf spike 66.

What is claimed is:

1. A combined golf spike receptacle and receptacle anchor strip for the sole of a shoe comprising an elongated strip of thin flexible metal having two parallel sides, two ends and a top and bottom surfaces; a pair of oppositely disposed shallow notches formed at said sides adjacent each of said ends; a pair of golf spike receptacles, each having a threaded sleeve with two ends and an axis centrally of said threaded sleeve, one of said ends flared at substantially right angles to said axis forming a support base for said threaded sleeve, a pair of oppositely disposed ear extensions on said base, said base being positioned on said bottom surface between a pair of said shallow notches with each of said ear extensions in a corresponding notch and folded at the notch about said surfaces in engagement with said top surface of said anchor strip thereby holding said receptacles securely in place on said strip at said shallow notches.

2. The combination as in claim 1 wherein said strip is spring tempered steel.

3. An adjustable golf spike receptacle and receptacle anchor strip combination for accommodating more than one size of shoe sole comprising an elongated strip of thin flexible metal having two parallel sides, two ends and a top and bottom surfaces; a pair of oppositely disposed shallow notches formed at said sides adjacent said ends; a pair of golf spike receptacles, each having a threaded sleeve with two ends and an axis centrally of said threaded sleeve, one of said ends flared at substantially right angles to said axis forming a support base for said threaded sleeve, a pair of oppositely disposed ear extensions on said base, said base being positioned on said bottom surface between a pair of said shallow notches with each of said ear extensions in a corresponding notch and folded in engagement with said top surface of said anchor strip thereby holding said receptacles securely in place on said strip at said shallow notches, and at least two oppositely disposed notches of said anchor strip each of which notches includes edges having a width greater than the width of said ear extensions of the associated receptacle by an amount suflicient to provide longitudinal adjustment between said receptacles on said anchor strip to accommodate said different sizes of soles.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,895,235 7/1959 Melchiona 36-675 3,040,449 6/1962 Phillips 36-67.5 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 444,727 1/ 1949 Italy.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

G. H. KRIZMANICH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A COMBINED GOLF SPIKE RECEPTACLE AND RECEPTACLE ANCHOR STRIP FOR THE SOLE OF A SHOE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED STRIP OF THIN FLEXIBLE METAL HAVING TWO PARALLEL SIDES, TWO ENDS AND A TOP AND BOTTOM SURFACES; A PAIR OF OPPOSITELY DISPOSED SHALLOW NOTCHES FORMED AT SAID SIDES ADJACENT EACH OF SAID ENDS; A PAIR OF GOLF SPIKE RECEPTACLES, EACH HAVING A THREADED SLEEVE WITH TWO ENDS AND AN AXIS CENTRALLY OF SAID THREADED SLEEVE, ONE OF SAID ENDS FLARED AT SUBSTANTIALLY RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID AXIS FORMING A SUPPORT BASE FOR SAID THREADED SLEEVE, A PAIR OF OPPOSITELY DISPOSED EAR EXTENSIONS ON SAID BASE, SAID BASE BEING POSITIONED ON SAID BOTTOM SURFACE BETWEEN A PAIR OF SAID SHALLOW NOTCHES WITH EACH OF SAID EAR EXTENSIONS IN A CORRESPONDING NOTCH AND FOLDED AT THE NOTCH ABOUT SAID SURFACES IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID TOP SURFACE OF SAID ANCHOR STRIP THEREBY HOLDING SAID RECEPTACLES SECURELY IN PLACE ON SAID STRIP AT SAID SHALLOW NOTCHES. 